The Mineral Spring 

Wenceslaus Hollar made this print, "The Mineral Spring," using etching, a printmaking technique that dates back to the late Middle Ages. To create the image, Hollar likely coated a copper plate with wax, then used a fine needle to scratch away the wax, exposing the metal beneath. Immersing the plate in acid would have etched these lines into the surface. The longer the plate stayed in the acid bath, the deeper the lines became, and the darker they would appear in the final print. After removing the wax and inking the plate, Hollar would have pressed paper against it, transferring the image. Notice how Hollar used the precision afforded by this process to depict the scene. The labor of crafting such an image must have been intensive. Understanding the skilled traditions and the amount of work involved invites us to reflect on the intersection of fine art, craft, and social context.